Copper base alloys containing nickel and tin are known in the art. For example, the commercial copper alloy 725 is a copper-nickel containing 8.5 to 10.5% nickel and 1.8 to 2.8% tin. It is highly desirable to provide alloys of this general type with a good combination of strength and bend properties. It is particularly desirable to provide a process for improving the combination of strength and bend properties in these alloys while obtaining other advantageous properties, such as good solderability and good contact resistance. Commercial alloys of this general type are characterized by deficiencies in one or more of the foregoing characteristics.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a process for obtaining a combination of good strength and good bend properties in the tin and nickel containing copper alloys.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process as aforesaid which is convenient to use on a commercial scale and which obtains other desirable properties in these alloys, such as good shelf life solderability and good contact resistance.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.